Today there is a cool breeze outside and the temperature is much cooler than what Texas normally has in August. Even though the temperature may switch back to 100 degrees and hotter in a few days, the thoughts of autumn and winter are on my mind.
Pumpkin, gingerbread and spices are definitely the foods for the cooler weather. Along with that are the special holiday treats that only seem to appear once a year. One of those treats is homemade fudge. My mother used to make fudge around the Christmas holidays. I recall my sister and I having to take turns to beat the fudge until it reaches the correct consistency. At the time, it seemed like it took an eternity for it to get to that point-especially when both of us were ready to eat when we were recruited for the task!
Unlike many fudge recipes, this one is quick and easy. You will not have to experience the task of "beating until it reaches the correct consistency". Instead, butter is creamed with sugar and the rest is simply mixed in.
Needless to say, the name of this recipe is very misleading. It should be named fudge instead of toffee. When served from a frozen state, it has that same silky texture that we expect when indulging in a piece of fudge. In addition, each piece has an occasional crunch from the pecans. Also, when flipped out of the pan, you have a thick dusting of graham cracker crumbs on top. Like most fudge, each bite packs in the big flavor we all love- rich, sweet chocolate.
Sawmill Toffee
adapted from Bon Appetit-Favorite Restaurant Recipes
Ingredients
2-3 tbs butter (melted)
3 eggs
1 tbs orange liqueur
8 oz unsweetened chocolate (melted/cooled)
1 1/4 cups or 2 1/2 sticks butter (room temp)
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 lb powdered sugar
Whipped cream (optional for serving)
Start by preparing a 10X15X1 inch pan by buttering the interior. Then take out a bowl and whisk together the melted butter and the graham cracker crumbs. Once all the crumbs have been damped by the butter, empty contents into pan. Press the mixture evenly in the bottom of the pan, using the back of a spoon or small spatula. Cover pan with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to cool for at least an hour.
Take out another bowl and fill with only 1 cup or 2 sticks of butter (kept at room temperature). Beat the butter until it is smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. This should take about 2 minutes. Set aside.
Using a sieve or sifter, empty the powdered sugar into a large bowl. Then add 1 cup of the sifted sugar to the butter mixture and beat on low. Once no more dry streaks remain, beat for about 30 seconds on medium speed. Repeat this process until all the powdered sugar has been incorporated into the butter. Set aside.
Then fill a saucepan with the remaining 1/4 cup of butter and place over medium heat. Once melted, pour in the pecan pieces. Stir the mixture until the pecans release a butter-nut aroma, indicating that they are completely toasted. This should take up to 5 minutes. Once toasted, empty the nuts into a small bowl to cool.
Go back to the butter/sugar mixture and add one egg. Beat for 30 seconds. Continue adding and beating each egg into the batter, one at a time. Pour in the melted chocolate and whisk or stir until it is completely distributed throughout the mixture. Lastly, fold in the toasted pecans.
Remove the graham cracker lined pan from the refrigerator. Also, fill a small bowl with some cold water. Using a large ladle, scoop out chocolate fudge and drop into top right section of the pan. Continue with large scoops until all the fudge is in the pan. Then smooth out the fudge evenly by dipping a spatula or knife into the water and sliding over the surface.
To complete the process, take a pastry brush and dip it in the orange liqueur and brush over the surface. Then take a knife and make cuts in the surface to mix in the orange liqueur. Lastly, smooth out the surface again. Cover and place in freezer for about 3 hours to set.
Once set, it is ready to cut, flip and serve. Prior to serving you can top with a scoop of whipped cream if desired.
Tips and Notes:
1.The graham coating is very loose and powdery. In order to remedy that, add some additional melted butter until it clumps into a more solid mass. However, remember that this is to be more of a dusting and not a baked hard crust, like you would have with a cheesecake.
2. I am big on crunchy pecans, so if I was to make this again I would increase the amount used in this recipe.
3. The original recipe states to chill the fudge. Tasting the consistency of it chilled in the refrigerator vs chilled in the freezer, I much preferred the freezer. The refrigerator did not get the mixture to set up as firm as fudge.
4. The brushing of the liqueur on top did not lend any flavor to the fudge. Should you want to experience the taste of it in the fudge, try increasing the quantity and experimenting with mixing it in the batter. You can also separate the batter in half, making one layer and brushing it with the liqueur. Then cut it in with the knife, as instructed in the original recipe. Top with a second layer of fudge and follow the same instructions.
5. Bear in mind that the pieces of fudge are between 1/2 to 1/4 inch thick, they are not like the 1 inch cube size of most fudge pieces.
**LAST YEAR:Polish Poundcake**
